Eloise's story
Prioritising employee wellbeing
“I realised that whilst I was running a small business we were not really looking after the very people who make the business, our employees.”
My name is Eloise and I own a recruitment business. I set up the company 5 years ago with no experience of running my own company and it has grown steadily, attracting loyal clients looking for excellent candidates in their field of practice. As it has grown I have recognized the importance of prioritizing employee wellbeing and satisfaction in order to allow us to continue our growth path.
What I had already
When I set up the business I wasn’t really aware of all of the things I should put in place. My focus was on getting it up and running and I didn’t have time to think outside of the pressures of getting the company going.
The issues that I am now aware of are:
- Limited Employee Benefits: We offered basic employee benefits, such as paid time off and discounted wellness services. However, these benefits were minimal and did not fully address the diverse needs of the staff.
- Employee Retention: With the increasing competition for good recruitment consultants, retaining talented staff became a priority. I was concerned that we had a higher staff turnover than I would like, and felt this could impact the quality of service we offered.
- Work-Life Balance: Many employees found it difficult to maintain a healthy work-life balance, especially during busy months. This created stress and fatigue among the team.
The relief of finding solutions
To be honest I didn’t really know who to speak to about options until my accountant suggested that I get in touch with Aetas Partners. He had worked with them previously and liked their collaborative way of working, which could suit my own approach. After my initial meeting with Aetas Partners I knew they could help me, which has certainly proved to be the case.
After conducting a thorough assessment of my company’s needs, together with employee feedback, they proposed these solutions:
- Start a comprehensive benefits package: the consultant recommended that we expand the employee benefits package to include health insurance coverage, pension plans with employer contributions, and death in service policies. They also offered personal financial planning advice for all employees (and me). This has reassured staff about their financial security and contributed to wellbeing.
- Implement a wellness initiative: to promote physical and mental health among employees. Aetas suggested subsidised gym membership, and access to counselling services. These initiatives have helped to create a supportive and inclusive work environment, which I’m really pleased with.
- Review of company structure: Aetas suggested that we take a look at the company structure as well as reviewing things like capital allowances and business rates.
How Aetas helped us:
With Aetas Partners support and guidance, we implemented their recommendations over a period of six months:
- Revamped Benefits Package: we partnered with a reputable insurance provider to offer comprehensive health coverage to all full-time employees. Additionally, we established a pension scheme with employer matching contributions to support long-term financial planning.
- Wellness Programmes: employees were delighted with subsidised memberships to local fitness centres. They now have access to confidential counselling services which support their mental health and emotional wellbeing a boon at busy, stressful times.
- Flexible Work Arrangements: we revised our scheduling policies to take into account employees’ personal preferences and commitments. Staff members were given the option to work remotely for certain tasks, which gave us greater flexibility in managing workload and personal obligations.
- Company benefits: by reviewing what we had in place Aetas Partners have introduced me to concepts I wasn’t aware of and best of all, the team has saved my business money.
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